2000 Armenian Dram Banknote (Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian)

2,000 Dram Dram (Issued 2018)

Conceived in a distinctly modern commemorative idiom, the 2018 Armenian 2,000 Dram banknote blends fine intaglio portraiture with bold typographic numerals and layered background imagery drawn from the country’s cultural heritage. The design philosophy prioritises a horizontal layout in which tonal depth and engraved line work sit alongside flat colour washes, giving the note a quality that bridges classical central-bank engraving traditions and contemporary polymer-influenced aesthetics. Compared with many commemorative issues of the same era, the composition is unusually rich in thematic imagery, making deliberate and coherent use of every zone of the note’s surface.

On the front, the dominant element is a large, finely engraved portrait positioned to the left of centre, depicting Tigran Petrosian, the legendary Armenian World Chess Champion. The portrait is rendered in close-grained intaglio, with careful tonal gradation from deep charcoal shadow beneath the jawline to lighter mid-tones across the brow, conveying a sense of weight and gravitas. To the immediate right of the portrait, a detailed chessboard in mid-game is illustrated, with individual chess pieces clearly visible in a naturalistic, slightly three-dimensional rendering that pays direct homage to Petrosian’s mastery of the game. Behind the portrait and chessboard, ghosted background imagery extends across the right-hand portion of the note, including what appears to be an architectural or institutional motif rendered in pale tones. The denomination “2000” appears in large, bold navy numerals at the lower left, and the inscription “ԵՐԿՈՒ ՀԱԶԱՐ ԴՐԱՄ” — meaning “Two Thousand Drams” in Armenian — runs along the lower edge in strong dark lettering. The issuing authority inscription at the top of the note reads “ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԿԵՆՏՐՈՆԱԿԱՆ ԲԱՆԿ” (Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia) in Armenian script, with the English equivalent noted more discreetly along the right margin. The serial number ՓՍ04151216 appears twice, printed in dark ink — once vertically on the left margin and once horizontally across the upper right of the note. The year “2018” is printed in small, clear numerals near the upper right. In the lower left corner, an optically variable ink element takes the form of a stylised crown or coronet motif in deep bronze-gold tones that shift with viewing angle, providing a key security feature. A facsimile signature appears in the mid-right area of the note. The overall colour palette of the front combines cool greys and dark navy blues with the warm gold of the security element, giving the note a dignified and restrained appearance.

The reverse presents a richly detailed cityscape composition executed predominantly in mauve and violet tones, with dark engraved line work providing architectural and sculptural detail. To the right stands a large sculptural figure — a stone or bronze statue of Tigran Petrosian himself — depicted in a contemplative seated or standing pose, rendered with clear facial definition and textural engraving that conveys the rough surface of the monument’s stone or cast material. Behind the statue, the background opens into a sweeping view of what appears to be the Yerevan cityscape, with multi-storey residential buildings of traditional Armenian stone construction climbing across the upper middle ground. In the lower centre of the reverse, a modern building façade is depicted with large glazed windows and a decorative frieze or mural panel that appears to incorporate figurative elements, likely representing the chess club or cultural institution associated with Petrosian’s legacy. The inscription “ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԿԵՆՏՐՈՆԱԿԱՆ ԲԱՆԿ” runs along the top in the same serif Armenian script used on the front. The denomination “2000” appears in large bold numerals on the right in the same navy as the front, while “ԵՐԿՈՒ ՀԱԶԱՐ ԴՐԱՄ” is repeated along the lower edge. A faint watermark impression of the portrait and the numeral 2000 is visible in the lighter areas of the note when viewed against light. The English inscription “CENTRAL BANK OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA” appears in small type along the right vertical margin. The crown motif visible on the front is echoed in ghost form on the reverse upper left, providing visual continuity across both faces of the note.

Wondering who buys foreign coins and notes? Webuyallcurrency.com does — a 2,000 Dram banknote like this is accepted alongside other current Armenian Dram banknotes, so you can exchange the lot for cash at once.

• Indicate the quantity of 2,000 Dram Dram banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com buys and exchanges foreign currency of every kind, so your Armenian Dram banknotes — withdrawn or current — can be sold for cash together with the rest of your leftover coins and notes.

Other Armenian Dram you can exchange: 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000.